We’ll digitize distribution of premix fuel, fertilizer – Bawumia
The frequent tussle over the distribution of premix fuel and fertilizer should come to an end soon if government’s plan to digitize the processes for the distribution becomes effective by the end of the year.
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, today [Wednesday] announced that government has begun processes to digitize the distribution of both premix fuel and fertilizer to address the confusion that characterizes the distribution process.
Both fishermen and farmers have complained of being cheated during the distribution of the two products.
Speaking at the 2019 Ghana Petroleum Conference, Dr. Bawumia said the trend will end soon.
“We will implement the digitization process in the distribution of premix in Ghana and we hope to extend it to fertilizer next year as well,” said the Vice President.
Information gathered indicates that in January 2017, premix fuel consignments loaded from the Tema Oil Refinery, were not delivered to the intended destinations as indicated on the invoices and Returns of the Oil Marketing Companies, OMCs.
A document sighted from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) indicated that, there were 12 major diversions of premix fuel in January alone.
In all instances, although the product was documented to be bound for the Volta Region, they ended up in Accra, according to information obtained by the NPA’s BRV Tracking System and Returns.
Although the NPA identified the challenge, very little seem to have been done to salvage the situation.
No wrongdoing in 2017 premix diversions – Deputy Fisheries Minister
The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Francis K. Ato Cudjoe, subsequently dismissed calls for the prosecution of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) that were cited in the alleged Premix Fuel diversions across the country in 2017.
The Deputy Minister said although the Fisheries Ministry initially blacklisted all the trucks cited, investigations, later investigations have proved that most of them were only re-routing, something mistaken by the media for diversions.
Speaking at Ekumfi Essakyir in the Central Region, he said, “The so-called diversions, the majority of them were not diversions. On the system, they had been keyed (for example) to go to Apam, but instead of going to Apam, they dropped the fuel at Winneba, which was done in conjunction with either the Ministry or the Landing Beach Committees”.